Horse-detacher.



A. A. SONAK.

HORSE DETAOHBR.

APPLICATION rum) 110v. e. 1000.

Patented A r. 18, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.'

A. A. SONAK.

HORSE DETAOHER.

APPLIOATION FILED N016. 1909.

990,019. Patented Apf. 18,1911.

2 SHEET 8-8333? 2.

Tn: NORRIS Prrzu ca.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

30 thereon.

UNITED STATES liTENT OFFICE.

ALBERT A. SONAK, F SPRAGUE, WEST VIRGINIA.

HORSE-DETAGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 6, 1909.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911. Serial No. 526,555.

lodirected to that class of detachers wherein the vehicle shaft isdisconnected from the running gear of the wagon or buggy, and the objectof the invention is to provide a simple and effective device of thischaracter which may be attached to the front axle of any ordinaryvehicle and which effectively supports the shaft, the device beingprovided with novel mechanism whereby the shafts may be easilydisconnected by the occupant of the vehicle when desired.

With the above, and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription progresses, the invention resides in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the frontportion of the running gear of an ordinary vehicle showing myimprovement in applied position sectional view upon the line 2-2 Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the detaching arms and theirsupport. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the thill coupler.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the front,axle of an ordinaryvehicle. The axle 1 is provided with the usual wheels 2 and is alsoprovided with a pair of thill couplers designated by the numeral 2.These 10 couplers 2 are identical in construction and the referencecharacters applying to one of the couplers designate similar parts uponthe second coupler. These couplers are, of course, supported upon theends of the axle :5 adjacent the wheels and each of said mem- Fig. 2 isa central longitudinal member 4. The projecting member 7 is alsoprovided with an upstanding tongue 9 and the member 4 is providedadjacent its free end with a central bifurcation or cut-away portion 10,the latter beingadapted to straddle the said tongue 9 and to beconnected thereto through the medium of a suitable rod which willhereinafter be set forth. The concaved portions 11 of the members 7 and4 are adapted to engage a transverse connecting rod 12 carried betweenthe cars 13 of thill irons 14.

The numerals 21 designate the front hounds of the running gear of awagon or other vehicle, and connected transversely to the said hounds isa bar or support 20. Adapted to overlie the bar 20 are the upper andlower longitudinal members 26 of a slidable housing. This housingcomprises the upper and lower members 26 which are spaced apart throughthe medium of suitable blocks. One of these blocks 27 is positionedadjacent the forward ends of the members 26 while the opposite block isconnected to the rear ends of the said members 26. The rear connectingblock is provided with a suitable eye 29 which is adapted for thereception of a link which is loosely connected with a foot lever 30, thelatter being mounted within a longitudinal slot formed in the base ofthe vehicle and which has the edges provided thereby protected byaslotted plate 31. The upper extremity of the lever 30 is provided withoppositely arranged offsets as designated by the numeral 32 and adaptedto form means whereby the foot of the operator may be readily and easilypositioned therebetween so as to swing the lever to operate the devicein a manner which will be hereinafter fully described. The connectingbar or member 20 is centrally provided with a depression, and positionedbetween the longitudinal walls formed by the said depression is atransversely arranged plate 22. This plate 22 is provided with a pair ofspaced projecting pintles 23.

The numerals 16 and 17 designate the operating bars of the device. Thesebars 16 and 17 have their longitudinally extending members 18 adapted tolie within the housing. These members 18 are arranged in parallelrelation with each other and each of the said members has its extremityprovided with an elongated opening 19, the latter being adapted toco-act with the pintles 23 of the plate 22. The said members 18 havetheir meeting faces adjacent the forward end of the housing providedwith oppositely arranged inclined cut away portions 28, the latter beingadapted to contact the inclined side walls of the beveled member 27, andthe said inclined walls 28 are held tightly against the member 27through the medium of a helical spring 18, which connects the saidmembers forward of the housing. The portions of the bars 16 and 17 acentthe front end of the vehicle are curved in opposite directions, oneoverlying the other, and are thence brought forward in parallel relationwith each other, as designated by the numerals 2a and 25. The forwardportions or ends of the said members 2% and 25 are adapted for thereception of the rods 15, and the said rods 15 are adapted to engage theopening provided within the vertical ear 9 and the openings providedwithin the members 10 adjacent the bifurcation of the member 1, of eachof the couplers 2.

Briefly stated the operation of the device is as follows; Should theanimals attached to the vehicle become frightened or unmanageable so asto endanger the driver of the. Vehicle, the contents of the vehicle orthe vehicle itself, it is merely necessary for the driver to press hisfoot upon the lever 13 to swing the same rearwardly, causlng the jhousing to move rearwardly and the inclined walls of the connectingmember 27 sliding upon the inclined or beveled faces 28 of the members18, will readily swing the ends 24. and 25 of the members 18 toward eachother as illustrated in the dotted lines of Fig. 8 of the drawings,which position withdraws the rods 15 from the openings of the couplersections and disengages the thills from the said couplers, thus allowingthe animal to escape without damaging the vehicle or the contentsthereof.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. Incombination with a vehicle having pivoted thill connecting members andslidable rods engaging the said connecting members, of a slidablehousing upon the bottom of the vehicle, the outer wall of said housingcomprising a Wedge-shaped block, rod members within the housing, saidrod members having their inner faces provided with beveled walls adaptedto engage the sides ofthe wedge-shaped block, a spring member forretaining the bars in contact with the said i block, the said barsprojecting beyond the housing, and the said pro ecting portions of thebars being curved away from each other for a suit-able distance and thencontinued in l a parallel line with each other, the extremities of eachof these projecting portions bej ing provided with rods adapted toengage the pivots of the thill couplings, and means j for sliding thehousing, substantially as and j for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a vehicle, thill connecting members i thillconnecting members comprising a pair of sections, rods for retaining thesections in a normally closed position, a. slidable housj ing positionedupon the vehicle, a transj versely arranged bar supporting the housing,the said housing comprising an upper and a lower longitudinallyextending member and a front and a rear connecting member or block, theforward block being wedgeshaped, a plate carried by the supportingmember, said plate being provided with pintles, a pair of bars havinglongitudinal slots engaging'said pintles, said bars having a portion oftheir meeting faces beveled to contact the wedge faces of the block, aresilient element connecting both the bars and adapted to force theinclined portions thereof into engagement with the beveled block,

ALBERT A. SONAK.

j said bars adapted to extend beyond the l Witnesses E. O. PHLEGAR, J.B. SHREwsBURY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C.

for the vehicle, said I

